The Faerie Landscape

Called exotika or xotika in Greek (singular exotiko), faeries abound on the mainland and among the islands. Every town and village has its local faeries: there are places through which grown men will not walk after dark; stories told by mothers to disobedient children; and offerings made to the house spirits. These exotika are a far cry from the gods of pagan times, themselves powerful faeries in their day. However, with the abandonment of the old temples in favor of Christ, the gods of the Greek pantheon have little influence and mere handfuls of worshipers remaining.

The ancient Greeks worshiped a race of powerful faeries as gods. In their mythology, the gods overthrew the primal race of titans to claim the position at the head of the pantheon; theurgists see this myth of the titanomachy as a fundamental shift in the sublunar powers and perhaps the origin of the Faerie realm. The six principle gods of the Pantheon are named as the children of the elder titans Kronos and Rhea: Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Demeter, Hera, Hestia. Furthermore, several were said to be born from a union between Zeus and younger titans (Artemis, Apollon, Athene, Aphrodite, and Hermes), or between Zeus and his sisters (Ares, Hephaistos, and Dionysos). The myths of the Greek Gods portray them with human flaws and foibles: Zeus is lecherous, Hera is vengeful and proud, Ares is argumentative and a coward, and so forth. This makes them very different from the depictions of the titans, who were seen as distant and uncaring.

Twelve gods sat on Mount Olympos and received worship from the ancient Greeks. Zeus was the king of the gods, despite occasional attempts to dethrone him by his siblings and children; Zeus had earned his

position at the head of the pantheon by defeating Kronos, and remained there by a mandate of Fate.

The other Olympians consisted of Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Apollon, Artemis, Athene, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaistos, Hermes, and Dionysos. Zeus' sister Hestia had ceded her own seat to the youngest Olympian, Dionysos.

In addition to the 12 Olympians, the Greek pantheon consisted of a whole host of other deities, of whom Hades was perhaps the most important. His home in the Underworld disbarred him from a life on Olympos, and he guarded the dead and ruled over them much as Zeus ruled over the living. Hestia was intended by the fates to be his wife, but the goddess of the sacred fire eschewed a life in the perpetual gloom of the Underworld and remained a virgin. She instead became the goddess of the family. Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, became Hades' queen instead.

Pan was the foster-brother of Zeus himself, and older than many of the Olympians. This pastoral god spent much time on earth among the flocks of his beloved Arcadia. Asklepios was the god of healing and son of Apollon. In addition to these major gods, many other local nymphs and Daimons were worshiped locally as gods.

Not all of the beings worshiped as gods were necessarily faeries; only those that encompass an ideal that is a facet of human nature or endeavor are generally considered to be fae. Some of the worshiped beings were younger titan — aspects of the magical world that performed their tasks according to nature whether man took notice of them or not. These "magical gods" included Helios the sun god, Selene the moon goddess, Hekate goddess of witchcraft, and Leto and Asteria, the goddesses of prophecy.

Stories are still told in the 13th century about the deeds of the great heroes of mythic times: Herakles, Perseus, Bellerophon, Jason, Theseus, Daidalos, Kastor and Polydeukes,

Odysseus, and so forth. Many of these heroes were demigods, having one of the Olympians or a nymph as a divine parent. Given the nature of faeries, it is a certainty that many if not all of these heroes can still be found in Greece, and some of them may even be the real thing. House Mercere has a particular interest in these stories, as they preserve a Cult of Heroes that contains many who claim descent from one of these champions among men. Some example heroes, and the Virtues and Flaws they may pass on to their descendants, are:

Akhilles: The champion of the Greeks in the Trojan war, he was granted invulnerability by his mother Thetis. His descendants are highly likely to have a Greater Immunity to Metal and the Fury Flaw.

Bellerophon: Tamer of Pegasus and slayer of the chimera, he believed he could fly to Olympos and become a god. Those who bear his blood are likely to be possessed of remarkable power over wild animals, but suffer from the Proud Flaw.

Kastor or Polydeukes: Twin brothers and great athletes, particularly in boxing, wrestling, discus-throwing, and horse-riding. Likely to have the Mistaken Identity Flaw as they are haunted by their twin.

Daidalos: A cunning inventor and student of Athene, who became the prisoner of King Minos in an attempt to keep the hero's genius all for himself. His descendants are likely to have the Touched by Faerie Virtue (City & Guild, page 71), along with Great Intelligence and Inventive Genius.

Helen: Sister to the twins Kastor and Polydeuces, and herself a twin to Clytemnestra, Helen was believed to be the most beautiful woman in all existence. Her descendants should have an unearthly beauty; they bear the Curse of Venus that was first applied to Helen, and was the cause of the Trojan War.

Odysseus: Hero of the Trojan War and famed for his inability to get home due to the machinations of the gods who led him into many fabulous adventures. His descendants may be Plagued by Supernatural Entity, but are probably superlative sailors.

Perseus: Slayer of Medusa with the help of the gods; a descendant of this hero might possess one or more of the powers of the magic items he was given to assist in his task: an adamantine falx (sickle) that can slice any material, winged sandals that permit flight, a helmet of invisibility, and a shield bearing medusa's head. The

Seekers have long connected the 12 Houses of Hermes with the twelve Olympians. Different researchers make different attributions, but the most common identification is: Bjornaer as shapechanging Poseidon; Bonisagus as Zeus; Criamon as mysterious Hestia and/or ecstatic Dionysos; Ex Miscellanea as Demeter; Flambeau as Apollon; Guernicus as Hera; Jerbiton as beautiful Aphrodite; Mercere as Hermes; Merinita as Artemis; Tremere as Athena; Tytalus as belligerent Ares; and finally Verditius as crafty Hephaistos. Even Diedne was represented, originally as Demeter and then as ill-omened Hades. It is rumored that Trianoma was the deliberate inventor of this pattern, and she passed over some wizards as potential Founders purely because they did not meet her mythological criteria. Some say that the fall of a House was inevitable ever since the Order accepted Ex Miscellanea as the 13th House, disrupting the Olympian symmetry.

Seeker magi are most interested in Hermes. His two most intriguing characteristics are as a god of invention and as a god of transition.

According to myth, Hermes invented music, writing, arithmetic, and magic; this characteristic seems to make him a creature of the Magic Realm according to theorists. Other stories make him a human, whose knowledge was so great that he divined the secret of immortality, transcended his humanity, and became a god; this is a path to the Magic Realm that many aspire to emulate.

However, as a god of doorways, the bringer of sleep, and the guide of souls to the Underworld, he occupies a quintessential liminal role and thus is ideally characterized as a faerie. Furthermore, he was offered worship by travelers and merchants, and his shrines often retain a Faerie aura.

The most satisfactory answer to many is that there were two or more beings who went by the name of Hermes, and so all of these options — and more — are potentially true. Until a magus meets with a being calling itself Hermes no-one will ever be sure; and perhaps not even then.

character himself possesses the power (for example, through the Hero's Birthright Power, Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 105), but requires an appropriate tool to get it to work.

Theseus: Famous as a slayer of bandits, giants and, monsters (most famously the minotaur), this king of Athens successfully waged war against the Amazons and even visited the Underworld in fulfillment of an oath and was trapped there for four years. His descendants would be superb warriors who live by a Code of Honor.

The aim of this Hermetic league (see Chapter 3: The Order of Hermes, The Leagues of Thebes) is to forge a close connection between the Order of Hermes and the faerie gods. Its leader Lucian believes that the Order has been ill-used by the Infernal and the Divine, and that the uncaring Magic Realm is not a suitable path for magi due to the lack of interest of its denizens in the works of man.

Lucian hopes to forge pacts with the old Greek gods that create longer, more stable relationships with covenant patrons. Underlying this is an unspoken desire that the power of Faerie would replace the Magic auras present at most of the Theban covenants, leading to a great renaissance in both the power of Faerie and the worship of the old gods. To achieve these goals, Lucian desires that his followers progress to a degree such that they can channel the gods' aspects into themselves, allowing Lucian to communicate with them. He also believes that the power of Faerie is sustained and emboldened by the force of the epic stories of the Olympians and the Heroic Age. It is, however, not enough to keep these stories alive; one must live through them,

recreating the stories on a grand scale and becoming a player in them. He has already assigned many of the magi and covenants in the Tribunal roles in his imagined grand reenactment, and seeks to direct events in accordance with their perceived story role. This accounts for his inexplicable and often changeable political stances — actions which other covenants often perceive as illogical or treacherous are in fact a premeditated attempt to steer the covenants toward their "correct" story roles.

The league has several sympathizers but few actual members, most of whom are from House Merinita. Its existence is not a secret, although Lucian's scheming and the specifics of his new Mystery Initiation are. Lucian hints at his innovation, but only tells willing initiates the whole story. To achieve the league's goals, Lucian has invented two Mysteries for his followers: Elysian Ecstasy and Olympian Pact. By use of these Myster-

Elysian Ecstasy is a new Minor Supernatural Virtue, the consequence of Lucian's investigations into the Faerie realm combined with the ecstatic rites he invented for this new Inner Merinita Mystery. It is gained through a Mystery Initiation of his devising. There is no prerequisite for gaining the Virtue, which violates the nature of the Merinita Mystery Cult; initiates do not need to be opened to the Outer Merinita Mysteries, nor do they need a score in Merinita Cult Lore. Having invented the Mystery Initiation, Lucian has an Initiation Script that will work for anybody, providing that he serves as the mystagogue.

To invoke this power, the character must spend an hour getting into the correct frame of mind. This typically involves acts such as meditation, singing, the recital of stories, wild dancing, or drinking. A character may spend additional hours in this frenetic state, with each additional hour adding +1 to his die roll. The character is limited to the number of extra hours preparing equal to her Stamina Characteristic. After the hour (or more), the player makes a (Characteristic) + Faerie Lore + aura + stress die roll against a variable Ease Factor to see if she has channeled a Greek god. The relevant Characteristic depends on the god or hero being channeled; for example Presence is appropriate for Aphrodite and Strength for Herakles. The storyguide should add a modifier of between –3 to +3 to reflect how close the character's gender, appearance, and personality are to the god in question. The storyguide may also add an additional modifier of up to +3 if the character's actions in the last season were appropriate to the god in question. For example, spending time underwater and hunting with a trident would be highly appropriate for Poseidon, or a season of philandering would match with Zeus. If the roll succeeds, the character gains the Personality Trait and Sympathy Traits for that god. If the roll fails, the character collapses in exhaustion, losing one Long-Term Fatigue Level for each hour spent preparing. If the roll botches, any faerie entity can be channeled at any strength, determined by the storyguide.

Lucian has also discovered a stronger, but more dangerous, version of this Mystery — a Major Supernatural Virtue called Olympian Pact. Initiation into this Mystery involves the gain of a Major Personality Flaw appropriate to the god whose powers are sought. It is invoked in the same way as Elysian Ecstasy and provides the same benefits. However, it may also grant limited access to the powers of the god being channeled; each usage grants the character a Warping Point.

Channeling ^a Greek God: (Characteristic) + Faerie Lore + stress die + aura

Ease Factor: 9

Result: (God's) Personality Trait +2, 1 point of Sympathy Traits chosen from those appropriate to the god

Ease Factor: 12

Result: (God's) Personality Trait +3, 3 points of Sympathy Traits, (Olympian Pact: use of one of the god's minor powers)

Ease Factor: 15

Result: (God's) Personality Trait +4, 6 points of Sympathy Traits, (Olympian Pact: use of two of the god's minor powers)

Ease Factor: 18

Result: (God's) Personality Trait +5, 10 points of Sympathy Traits, (Olympian Pact: use of one of the god's major powers or three of its minor powers)

Ease Factor: 21+

Result: (God's) Personality Trait +6, 15 points of Sympathy Traits, (Olympian Pact: use of two of the god's major powers, six of its minor powers, or one major and three minor powers)

Points of Sympathy Traits are used to buy those traits as if they were Arts. Thus a character channeling Zeus who has 6 points to spend could choose Thunder & Lightning +3; or Kings +2 and Sky +2. The score in a Sympathy Trait replaces the specialty for any Ability where it applies, but makes the use of that Ability into a stress roll; for more information see Realms of Power: Faerie, pages 102–105. A character gains Sympathy Traits, Personality Traits, and powers (for Olympian Pact) for a number of hours equal to the total rolled.

Initiation of Elysian Ecstasy

Ease Factor:18

Script Bonus: +12

Script Details: The initiate must visit 12 powerful beings, each one chosen to represent one of the 12 Olympians, and receive a boon from each. These beings can be magical, faerie, or even magi or kings. They need not know why they are granting the boon, but each must possess strong resonances for the Olympian they represent (+6). In a shrine dedicated to one of the Olympians, the initiate must then perform a rite as Sirius rises (+3) that confers to him the power of the gods, but also inflicts the Susceptibility to Faerie Power Flaw (+3).

sian Ecstasy (see insert), although only Lucian currently possesses an Olympian Pact. This latter Mystery allows the character to acquire a god's Powers, and is similar to the Spiritual Pact Virtue (Realms of Power: Magic, page 88), although aligned to Faerie (see the nearby insert for details).

Lucian believes that he is channeling the actual Greek gods, but he might be mistaken or duped by powerful pretenders, either Faerie or Infernal. As yet, he has not convinced any channeled god to become a covenant's patron spirit. His vision is rather clouded; he is so enamored with ecstatic rites and faerie possession that the truth could easily escape him. As a result of Lucian's Twilight Scars, he also tends to forget his own identity when himself channeling one of the gods.

Realms of Power: Faerie describes a number of faeries that are prominent in Mythic Greece. These are briefly recapitulated here; for more details (including game statistics), see Chapter 4: Faerie Bestiary in that book.

Lamiae

The original Lamia was a queen of Libya, cursed by Hera to become a baby-eating faerie with a snake's body instead of legs. Blood-drinking faeries called lamiae are purportedly her children, and may have goat's hindquarters instead of those of a snake. The lamiae use the game statistics for the ghula.

In many parts of Greece, the snake-bodied lamiae are sea creatures that raise waterspouts to plague sailors. They can be warded against by driving a black-handled knife into the mast of the ship; this averts the direct wrath of the faeries.

Childhood Terrors

Gorgones appear as women with hideous faces, tusks and claws, snakes instead of hair, and sometimes bat-like wings. They are nursery terrors, haunting particularly boy-children. The yalou is a variety of gorgon that specifically preys on unbaptized children. It cannot open doors itself, but if a person enters a house after dark, the yalou can follow them in. A yalou can be warded off by keeping a cross of cane and a piece of bread under the pillow of the child.

Mormo is a faerie spirit who bites naughty children; she often possesses a mother and encourages her to play rough games with her infant.

Centaurs

This is the famed half-man, half-horse of the legends of Thessaly and Thrace; although some magi believe that the original centaurs belonged to the Magic Realm, and these are simply faerie copies born from the legends.

Kallikantzaroi

These faeries live under the earth, but are permitted to emerge on Christmas Eve and remain abroad for the Twelve Days of Christmas. They are swarthy, hairy faeries with huge heads, red eyes and lolling red tongues, tusks, goat's ears, and long arms tipped with vicious claws. Most are small, but some are several paces tall; these latter ones always have long black fur and outsized male organs. The kallikantzaroi range in character from mischievous to murderous, but are always destructive. They break furniture and tools, spoil food by defecating in it, frighten livestock, and attack people who get in their way.

A similar group of seasonal faeries are the drymes, which are abroad during the first few days of March and August. These faeries specifically attack people engaged in activities involving water, such as washing; these pursuits are avoided during this time.

Fauns and Satyroi

These faeries of the wild are relatively common in Greece, but they are also frequently confused with the smerdaki (see Chapter 12: Infernal Landscape), a demon that attacks flocks of sheep and goats.

Tritones and Sea Nymphs

Tritones or merfolk are ubiquitous in the Greek Islands. Every bay, inlet, and sandbar had its own mermaid. They act as the guard-

Characters taking the Faerie God variant of Faerie Blood (Realms of Power: Faerie, page 107–108) may choose appropriate Sympathy Traits for an Olympian god, as listed below.

God's Name

Positive Sympathy Traits Negative Sympathy Traits

Zeus

Thunder & Lightning, Kings, Sky Fidelity

Hera

Women, Children, Vengeance Men

Poseidon

Sea, Earthquakes, Horses Calm

Demeter

Fertility, Plants, Domesticated Animals Winter

Apollon

Light, Prophecy, Healing Passion

Artemis

Wild Animals, Pursuit, Diseases Men

Athene

Wisdom, Tactics, Culture Direct Action

Ares

Violence, Weapons, Fear Bravery

Aphrodite

Attraction, Desire, Beauty Avoiding Attention

Hephaistos

Iron, Volcanoes, Precious Metals Beauty

Hermes

Money, Trickery, News Avoiding Trouble

Dionysos

Wine, Madness, Initiation Rational Action

Hestia

Family, Hearth, Virginity Self Promotion

ians of these localities (much like the stoicheia are the spirits of places, see later), and local sailors know to avoid their domains.

Sea nymphs are usually mute. They dance in the surf and on the beaches on nights of the full moon, and it is good fortune to see one. They should otherwise be treated as nereides (see later).

Drakoi

The giants most commonly encountered in Greece, especially on the islands, are named drakoi (singular drakos). Although "drakos" is the origin of the word "dragon," in Byzantine lands it usually refers to such a giant instead of a winged serpent. The drakoi usually resemble humans, to a greater or lesser extent, but with a great size and strength, and are almost always exceedingly stupid. They may be encountered alone or as a family. Lone drakoi often become infatuated with human women, and bring them gifts. Such a drakos will pester the poor woman regularly; although he is easy to outsmart temporarily, he will only flee and cease his advances permanently once his fear is exploited. Each drakos has a great fear of some relatively mundane phenomenon; fear of dogs is common. A family of drakoi inevitably contains numerous daughters equally strong and dim-witted — whom the father seeks to marry off with some luckless man. For a standard drakos, use the statistics for a Faerie Giant (see Realms of Power: Faerie, page 98).

Drakoi often build stone dwellings named "dragonhouses" for themselves; they are squat towers carefully assembled from great boulders, usually two stories high, with a single room in each floor. Some drakoi are purported to have hidden caches of treasure beneath their houses. Dragonhouses and drakoi are particularly common on the Cyclades.

Many drakoi can take the form of a large serpent, sometimes with a human head. They occasionally grow to immense size, such as the one that crawled out of the sea and took up residence in the Karakalou Monastery on Mount Athos, where the monks treated it as a house snake. Another variety of drakos has a single eye, burning with fire, and a special talent for hurling rocks; these are especially common on the island of Zakynthos. Such drakoi are likely the descendants of the ancient kyklopes (cyclopes) described in Greek legends, which emerged from the Underworld Tartaros and dwelled by volcanoes.

In classical times a nereid was specifically a water nymph, but in the middle ages the term is applied to all nymphs and female courtly faeries of all types (there is a distinct lack of male courtly faeries in the Theban Tribunal). Nereides are perhaps the most common faeries in the region, and typically appear as beautiful women bedecked with flowers. Their white dresses occasionally hide the fact that they have the hind legs of a goat or donkey.

Nereides are keen to interact with young men, as they gain vitality through such intercourse. A nereid can be acquired as a bride by a man who steals her veil, as long as he keeps the cloth hidden from her. There are dangers in this practice: should the nereid ever find the stolen cloth, she will leave her husband, occasionally enacting murderous revenge on her spouse and children. On other occasions, the nereid is the aggressor, and indulges in nympholepsy — the theft of children (particularly boys). The malice of a nereid increases towards noon, and mothers particularly warn their children about leaving their sight at this time of the day. A pre-adolescent boy stolen by a nereid may acquire Faerie Blood from the experience, whereas a sexually active youth might instead father such individuals (see Faerie Blood and Changelings in Realms of Power: Faerie, pages 105–110 and pages 110–111).

For more information on nereides, see the entries under Courtly Faeries, Entrapping Lovers, and Faerie Spouses Trapped by a Trinket in Realms of Power: Faerie, pages 82–86, page 73, and page 75. Greek nereides can steal the wits of a man with a single kiss, inflicting the Flaws of Simple Minded or Short Attention Span through the Grant (Minor Flaw) power. Other nereides can induce weakness or muteness. Saint Artemidos is particularly prayed to by the parents of nymph-struck infants, and can undo the curse.

The stoicheia (singular stoicheion) are the spirits of places. Every significant landmark has its guardian, which commonly takes the form of a spirit-animal such as a calf, donkey, cat, or white hound. In the deep wilds where no-one sees them, each unusually shaped boulder, hilltop tree, river, and mountain possesses a stoicheion, which in these cases are genii loci (see Realms of Power: Magic, page 106). However, closer to human habitations, faeries fill the role of the spirits of places, extending their guardianship over the land to guardianship of the local community in return for proprietary offerings of eggs, figs, milk, and honey. The village is very respectful of its stoicheion, greeting it politely should they come across it, for a faerie spirit who is treated rudely can abandon or attack the community it once protected.

A common variety of the guardian spirit are the koukouvaounes, which take the form

of an immense white owl with red eyes. The koukouvaouna bravely enters battle against malicious faeries and demons that threaten its chosen people, risking its life to keep them safe. They conduct these battles both in spiritual form, and, if necessary, in physical form. They are invigorated in these battles by drinking milk left out for them by their communities. Occasionally, a koukouvaouna faces a threat it cannot defeat by

itself, so visits strong men of the community for assistance. Some possess a Ritual Power allowing them to grant the Skinchanger Virtue, which is accompanied by a Lesser Charm (see Realms of Power: Faerie, page 104 for more details), allowing them to turn men into rams, oxen, horses or bulls to assist them in their battles. Some churches attract their own stoicheia, which unlike the koukouvaounes take the form of a white calf, red horse, or a black rooster. These stoicheia can usually surround the village with a protective ward that keeps out ill luck or malicious spirits.

The basiliskos is a house spirit, much like the brownies or portunes encountered further west. These stoicheia tie themselves to a specific family rather than a whole community, but can be a boon to those who possess one. These faerie spirits take the shape of snakes;

Faerie Might: 10 (Animal); 20 in its village Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Pre +2, Com –1, Str +1/+2*, Sta +2/+3*, Dex 0/+3*, Qik 0/+2*

* in physical form

Size: +2

Virtues and Flaws: Faerie Beast; Focus Power (Guardian of the Bounds), Ritual Power (Strike Dumb); Faerie Sight, Feast of the Fae, Improved Powers, Increased Faerie Might, Lesser Power (Loosely Material), Personal Power (Extended Glamour), Reputation as Confidence, Time or Place of Power; Narrowly Cognizant; Overconfident, Intangible Flesh; Traditional Ward (varies)

Personality Traits: Fiercely Protective +6, Brave +3, Loyal +3.

Reputation: Defender 4 (Local)

Combat: (pick one weapon appropriate to animal shape)

Teeth: Init +2, Attack +14, Defense +10, Damage +5

Claws: Init +2, Attack +15, Defense +12, Damage +6

Horns: Init +4, Attack +13, Defense +11, Damage +5

Soak: +8

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–7), –3 (8–14), –5 (15–21), Incapacitated (22–28), Dead (29+)

Abilities: Area Lore 4 (local spirits), Awareness 3 (faeries), Brawl 6 (varies by animal), Romaic Greek 4 (those whom it protects), Faerie Lore 2 (weaknesses of enemies), Hunt 3 (enemies), Penetration 4 (Guardian of the Bounds power)

Powers:

Extended Glamour, 0 points, constant, Mentem: Grants awareness of everything that happens within the bounds of a specific domain chosen by the faerie. In essence, the faerie is coterminous with its associated landscape feature, so it is present simultaneously everywhere within its boundaries. A stoicheion with a Might of 10 can extend its glamour to the size of a room, while more powerful faeries can affect a greater area. The area controlled by the faerie can produce a yearly harvest of (Might/10) pawns of Animal vis, which manifests as physical objects within the controlled region. Removing this vis does not harm the faerie if it is bargained for.

Guardian of the Bounds, 1 – 5 points, Init –5, varies: The spirit protects its chosen community by using this power. By completing a circuit around the village and inscribing a circle, the faerie creates a ward designed to exclude a particular type of supernatural threat. This operates exactly like a Ward against Faeries of the Water, but the stoicheion can choose which Realm and which Form is affected each time it uses the power. The power costs 1 Might point per 5 levels (or fraction) of the equivalent spell. Common wards include a Ward against Faeries of the Wood, to prevent crop-damaging faeries; and Ward against Demons of the Mind, to exclude the evil eye. These wards typically are of low level to ensure that they have sufficient Penetration against their foe; a stoicheion with a Might of 20 (in its village, for example) can create a Level 10 ward with a Penetration of 15, at the cost of 2 Might points.

Loosely Material, 3 points, Init –10, Animal: The stoicheion can take on glamoured flesh and a material form. It takes one round to take this form. The creature is Size +2, and has the physical statistics marked with an asterisk. It is only in this form that it can physically attack. The faerie may maintain the material body indefinitely. If slain, the body contains the vis listed below. When the faerie returns to immateriality, which takes an uninterrupted combat round, it regains the Might points spent to activate this power. If it then takes on matter again, it does not carry over the wounds caused to its previous body.

Strike Dumb, 5 points, Init – 20, Vim: Imposes the Mute Flaw upon a victim. The faerie can decide to bestow the Flaw permanently or temporarily. If permanent, the power costs points from the creature's Might score as well as Might pool. If temporary, the Might points spent on this power are only recovered when its effects are withdrawn. This power has been affected by the Improved Powers Virtue

Vis: 3 pawns of Animal vis, in bones

Appearance: Usually immaterial, those with Second Sight might see the stoicheion as an oversized animal of its chosen form.

This stoicheion is not intended to be a player character unless taken as a maguslevel character, since it has 15 points of Virtues and 7 points of Flaws. However, it suitable as an ally of a covenant, perhaps even its guardian (bought as a covenant Boon). It can take up to 3 more points of Flaws, each point granting 2 more Virtue points. In the faerie's chosen locality, its Faerie Might is increased to 20 and its protective power is enhanced. The most common taboo (i.e. Traditional Ward) of stoicheia is that they are bound to the land or people they are sworn to protect, and perish if they leave. If a stoicheion is slain it will eventually be reborn in a modified form, in the manner of faeries.

sometimes they have three or seven heads, or the head and feet of a cat. Like portunes, the basiliskoi usually have a Focus Power for Domestic Work.

The pergalio is a spirit that ties itself to a particular structure, rather than to a family or a community. A pergalio takes the form of a blue-eyed black child of about five years old. Usually benign, the pergalioi are prone to jealousy, and sometimes their own help can ultimately drive them away. One told a beautiful but poor girl where to find a treasure for her dowry; but by being beautiful and rich she attracted many suitors, which annoyed the pergalio who then strangled her new husband before abandoning her.

The kalotyches are the stoicheia of trees that, when their tree is felled, become murderous creatures of vengeance. The name kalotyche means "good fortune," a classic Greek trick of giving a euphemistic name to an unpleasant entity as a propitiatory measure. Some trees — planes, poplars, and figs — are considered to have inimical spirits even when still alive, and no-one will even take rest in their shade. Particularly dangerous trees are distinguished by the speed of their growth; they must be cut down by the person who planted it else it will try to kill him. The vengeance of a kalotyche can be halted by placing a stone in the wedge of the trunk after the tree is felled (a Traditional Ward); these stones inevitably work their way free.

The Thalassomachos

A covenant has a vis source that comprises certain colored fish present in the local fishermen's catch. They sponsor the fishermen by buying them new boats or providing them with magical assistance in an attempt to increase the yield of fish. However, a local triton lord has taken exception to the exploitation of his domain, and rides on the back of a dolphin to battle the fishermen. He becomes known as the Warrior of the Sea (thalassomachos), and he can damage nets and summon winds to support his cause (use the statistics for the Selkie King on page 91 of Realms of Power: Faerie). If the magi fight the thalassomachos every year they can retain their high vis yield, including that taken from the faerie's corpse, or else they can settle for a smaller fishing fleet and thus less vis.

The Family Basiliskos

A basiliskos is a great boon to a magus' sanctum, granting the free Spotless Virtue and the Lesser Guardian or Lesser Horde Laboratory Virtues (see Covenants, page 118), as well as acting as an Assistant (the spirit has learned Magic Theory) and a source of vis. Basiliskoi are loyal to familial lines, so when a magus' pater dies, the basiliskos seeks him out at his new covenant. This upsets the former covenant, who treated the basiliskos as a valuable resource, or even their patron spirit.

The Kalotyche's Sacrifice

A kalotyche in the covenant's grounds provides vis as a product of its Extended Glamour power. The spirit has been neutralized by its traditional ward; but if the magi ever take all of the fruit from the tree without leaving any as a sacrifice, the stone wedged in the trunk works itself free, and the spirit goes looking for anyone who currently possesses its vis.

A Powerful Patorn

A koukouvaouna is a powerful patron for a covenant to gain, but must be persuaded to act as a guardian. Ruthless magi might ensure that the spirit's current community founders to leave the spirit seeking a new home. Alternatively, this tactic might be used by a rival against a village beholden to the characters' covenant.